Why isn't chess more popular?

Since I never showed up, probably not real good...

I was actually calling flags "Andrew". I wish I knew his first name.

I didn't realize you were still hangin out...

I failed both of my senior years because of missing too many days. I couldn't stand to be there. I figured if I was going to sleep, I might as well stay at home.

I figured out my grades were bad in reading because, I couldn't remember what I read. I actually showed my teacher in the basic english class I was forced into early in high school, how I could understand words I had never seen before, based upon the context. This actually proved I could not only read but, comprehend what I was reading quite well.

I explained it was the material that was the problem. I requested different material and told her if she let us all pick our material, participation and grades would sky rocket. She agreed, but told me the board of education dictated what she had to teach, which BTW IMO, is a bunch of $@!T. I still have yet to use Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. I don't remember the Iliad or The Oddessy. I still can't believe I had to take that crap.

I took business math for a 1/2 credit and was reviewing what I learned in 6th and 7th grade. What a waste. I took Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 in high school, it was the same crap I learned in 8th grade.

History was ok, but I would have preferred to learn more of world history than what was taught. The parts about citizenship were good to know, but almost seem pointless, due to the structure of our government.

I took a few electives like woodshop 1 & 2 and computer graphics and learned somethings, but the computer technology has changed so much since then, it is useless. No one makes or sells real wood furniture hardly anymore, so that is collecting dust in my brain. I took creative writing, only to discover, no one usually cares about your opinion, unless they agree with you. It sucks to feel like you either have to write things you don't personally agree with, or intentionally make yourself the object of ridicule to get credit. I feel this same sham happens in college because, institutions dictate to people, what they have to agree with, in order to get a degree.

@zborg

If they only gave a delete button for posts like yours, I would clean up many unwanted opinions from my view. I wasn't talking to you in the first place. What the hell do you care if I tell people about the circumstances I have found myself in ?

I guessing that you don't agree with what I am stating in my posts, otherwise, I doubt you are so concerned for me that you'd care. I doubt you are such a humanitarian that you are concerned for my image or somehow my identity being stolen... ...as if someone would want it...

Unlike some people, I don't feel the need to put on a front about who I am. I really don't give  S#!T what anyone thinks of me either. I don't have to live up to their expectations or standards.

Point taken.  I will delete my post #362 shortly.

Sorry to have bothered you with what I believed was reasonable advice, in your interest.

Seriously, why would you care or what danger is there to me?

Does what I said make me look beneath everyone else? Do you honestly think the trolls here who have it out for me need my posts to have something to use against me?

You might be able to get Flags to help you out with Shakespeare, since he's an English teacher. 

Thanks, but no thanks. THe help with it I would have ever needed it was just remembering it. I am glad that I don't. It is a waste of brain space.

no truer words have ever been spoken. and they thought you were a dummy.

Sorry mate, I agree....hehe. I think that you and I think very similar on this stance and I would be to share with you how I perceive the institutionalized. If I see you online, would you mind if I request a chat?

Sometimes, when I'm getting the absolute tar beat out of me, I find chess to be quite hysterical. 

A self professed smart man. You are the majority. Try working on being a minority, you may enjoy what's real. I can only advise.

I believe it all boils down to people nowadays have so many more things to do for entertainment than they did 40-50 years ago when chess was in it's hayday. With video games, the internet, cable television and countless other forms of recreational amusement chess just simply doesn't have the flair to attract as many people as it once did.

Chess wasn't all that popular 40 or 50 years ago, either (except in third world countries on account of their not having electricity).

I suppose we would have to list the reasons why we play chess first, identify  any common responses.

Then ask ourselves what is the purpose of boardgames? No two generations are 100% alike, with time, our preferences to what we perceive to be fun changes, aswell as other things. 

I wrote a blog called Invisible Gorrila, in which I tried to tackle the question "Does chess make you smarter?", which clearly implies some people play the sport for that particular reason and so fourth. 

I believe chess is not as popular as other board games, due to a number of factors, every board game you mentioned has and is currently being advertised on telly, radio and other media outlets, so it is already generating an interest, whether people like it or not is another story. 

Chess can be seen to be daunting and gibberish, some may say it is colourless, tedious and an unnecessary headache. All boardgames can fit that description if you don't understand it, however I have never met people who can effectively summerise the beauty of chess to captivate humans of all ages. Other board games seem to have a knack to attract us, slogans, mottos, images, key-phrases etc, this combined with an enthusiastic gamer selling it, proves hard to ignore. 

I suppose chess attracts people who think in a certain way, deep-thinkers, problem solvers, or those who simply wish to improve their mental ability. 

To find out more, 

http://blog.chess.com/kiwi_overtherainbow/why-i-love-and-hate-chess

http://blog.chess.com/kiwi_overtherainbow/the-invisible-gorilla-formula-to-success

I think that the only reason those of us who play chess do so is because someone we know (or knew) snookered us into a game of chess.

We lost. We didn't enjoy that. It felt like a kick in the pants.

So we wanted revenge and played another game. Which led to another...and another...and another...and another...

We are on autopilot, perpetual motion machines devoid of free will at this point, having totally forgotten the reason why we ever played a second game, in the first place.

Are you forgetting about Bobby Fischer? Chess was very popular in the US during his run to the world title.

Wikipedia: Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. →

Actually, no.

I was born the same year as Bobby Fischer. I grew up where he did, as well. And, I started playing chess around the same time.

Yes...there was a "sensation" about Bobby. But average folk had absolutely no idea who he was. And, they didn't play chess. If they tended to do anything, it was to go bowling.

Sputnik had a far greater impact than did Bobby.

I know these things because I lived it.